Bodnar said he is adding to a body of evidence that looks at the overall physiology of disease-spreading ticks. He added that he was excited to represent HSU and felt proud when he learned that he was chosen to participate in the competition.

"With all of the excellent research being conducted at HSU, I was truly surprised when my project was selected," Bodnar said. "We are not a well-funded institution with state-of-the-art equipment or facilities. The fact that I'm able to design and troubleshoot experiments that generate compelling results comparable to what is being done in high profile, well-funded laboratories makes presenting my research to an audience very exciting."